Gardenia plant named &#39;4MARIAJ01&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  gardenia  plant named ‘4MARIAJ01’ particularly distinguished by flowers that are double-flowered with an early flowering habit, upright, dark green growth with a dense branching habit and increased flower production compared to other standard large growing double-flowered cultivars, and plants having uniform growth under commercial production practices, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Gardenia jasminoides.

Variety denomination: ‘4MARIAJ01’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of gardeniaplant, botanically known as Gardenia jasminoides, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘4MARIAJ01’. This new gardenia plantoriginated from an open pollination conducted in 2009 in Dearing, Ga.between an unknown female gardenia plant and an unknown male gardeniaplant. The objective of the breeding program was to create a newgardenia plant with an early blooming habit, double-flowered, compactgrowth habit, easy-to-grow, and plants exhibiting cold hardiness.

Approximately 1400 progeny seeds resulting from said open pollinationwere planted in 2009. In 2010, progeny seedlings were planted in 2.5inch liner cups and then in 2011 progeny seedlings were planted in1-gallon containers. In 2013, progeny seedlings were planted in 3-galloncontainers, inoculated with Phytophthora cinnamomi, and grown toevaluate disease response and production characteristics. The newvariety was selected by the inventor as a single plant within saidprogeny in a controlled environment in Dearing, Ga. The new variety wasselected based on its response to drought stress, disease, coldhardiness, and unique flowering and growth characteristics. ‘4MARIAJ01’was first reproduced asexually by vegetative semi-softwood stem cuttingsin October 2013 in Dearing, Ga. ‘4MARIAJ01’ has been found to retain itsdistinctive characteristics and has been found to be stable andreproduce true-to-type through two successive generations of asexualreproduction by vegetative semi-softwood stem cuttings.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have not been applied for.‘4MARIAJ01’ has not been made publicly available or sold anywhere in theworld prior to the effective filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new gardenia variety has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, lightintensity, water status, fertilizer rate and type, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new gardenia variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Dearing, Ga. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes ‘4MARIAJ01’ as a new and distinct varietyof gardenia:

1. Flowers that are double-flowered with an early flowering habit;

2. Upright, dark green growth with a dense branching habit and increasedflower production compared to other standard large growingdouble-flowered cultivars; and

3. Plants having uniform growth under commercial production practices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new gardenia is illustrated by the accompanying photographs whichshow the overall plant habit including flowers and foliage of the plant.The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of 3.6 to4-year-old plants and 8-year-old plants grown in the ground and in3-gallon containers in Dearing, Ga. The photographs were taken in May2017 in Dearing Ga. under natural light. Colors in the photographs maydiffer slightly from the color values cited in the botanical descriptionwhich accurately describes the colors of the new variety.

FIG. 1. shows the original seedling and its overall habit, includingflowers and foliage.

FIG. 2. shows a typical flower bud.

FIG. 3. shows typical foliage and flower buds.

FIG. 4. shows a close up of a mature flower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Sixth Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in theground and in 3-gallon containers when grown outdoors under a naturalphotoperiod in full sun in Dearing, Ga. Detailed descriptions were takenin 2016 and 2017 from approximately 4-year-old plants grown from singlevegetative semi-softwood stem cuttings. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages of typical plant types.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Rubiaceae.        -   Botanical.—Gardenia jasminoides.        -   Common.—Gardenia.        -   Denomination.—‘4MARIAJ01’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Unknown.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative semi-softwood stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—10 to 20 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—5 to 6 months, a            cutting placed in rooting media in approximately September            to October will be rooted and ready to pot in approximately            February to March the following year, rooting time is            shorter during warmer months.-   Root description: Fibrous.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.        -   Growth habit.—Densely upright, mounding.        -   Height.—93.0 cm after 4 years of growth and 128.0 cm after 8            years of growth.        -   Plant spread.—72.0 cm after 4 years of growth and 132.0 cm            after 8 years of growth.        -   Growth rate.—15.0 cm to 22.0 cm per year depending on            environmental conditions and plant's age, growth rate slows            as plants mature.        -   Plant vigor.—Vigorous when young, vigor slows as plants            mature.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching.        -   Primary Branches (one year or older).—Length: 22.0 cm per            year. Diameter: 0.6 cm at one year of age, 1.8 cm at four            years of age. Strength: Pliable during the first year's            growth and becoming stiff the second year. Color: Mature            branches: Green 138B, grey-green 190C and brown N200A. Young            branches: Brown 200A, grey-brown N199B, and yellow-green            147D. Texture: No pubescence, some exfoliation.        -   Lateral branches (less than one year old).—Length: 10.8 cm            per flush. Diameter: 0.6 cm. Strength: Flexible. Aspect: 10            to 60 degree angles from other stems. Texture: Setulose            pubescence. Color: Immature branches are green 143A and            yellow-green 144A, and maturing to green 143B and then            grey-brown 199B and N199B. Internode length: 3.03 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf type.—Simple.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Primarily opposite with some whorled            leaves, 2 per node, rarely 3 per node.        -   Average mature leaf size.—Length: 4.43 cm. Width: 2.58 cm.        -   Mature leaf shape.—Obovate.        -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.        -   Leaf base.—Crunate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate with persistent sheathing            stipules at the apex of the node.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Internode length.—2.78 cm.        -   Leaf texture.—Upper surface: Glabrous, waxy. Bottom surface:            Glabrous.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves: Upper surface: Yellow-green 144A.            Lower surface: Yellow-green 145B. Mature leaves: Upper            surface: Green 139A. Lower surface: Yellow-green 146B.        -   Leaf venation.—Type: Pinnate. Color: Upper surface:            Yellow-green 144A. Lower surface: Yellow-green 145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Bloom period.—Primary bloom period is typically May in            Dearing, Ga., blooming occurs sporadically through summer            and into fall.        -   Type.—Perfect flower, complete and near complete.        -   Arrangement.—Solitary flower at apex of stems and            occasionally at leaf axils.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 0.5 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Color:            Yellow-green 144A. Texture: Glabrous. Strength: Slightly            pliable, breakable with force.        -   Height (depth).—3.0 cm from attachment to stem.        -   Diameter.—8.5 cm.        -   Facing direction.—Outward.        -   Persistence.—Self-cleaning.        -   Fragrance.—Strong pungent gardenia fragrance.        -   Flower Tube.—Length: 1.7 cm. Width at widest point: 1.5 cm.            Width at narrowest point: 0.8 cm. Texture: Setulose            pubescence.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: 3 rows of petals with 1 row of            petaloids. Length: Outer row: 3.6 cm. Second row: 3.5 cm.            Third row: 3.0 cm. Fourth row: Petaloids measuring 2.5 cm in            length from point of fusion with the flower tube with some            smaller, irregular petaloids present. Width: Outer row:            3.4 cm. Second row: 2.8 cm. Third row: 2.4 cm. Fourth row:            Petaloids measuring 1.7 cm in width with some smaller,            irregular petaloids present. Apex: Unevenly rounded. Base:            Fused tube. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy            and reflexed with age. Quantity: 6 per row. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Outer surface at maturity: White NN155D.            Inner surface at maturity: White 155C with an area on the            outer petals of yellow-green 144C. Upper and lower surfaces            at fading: Yellow 11A and 11C.        -   Buds.—Shape: Oblong. Length: 3.6 cm. Diameter: 1.5 cm.            Color: Yellow-green 144A. Texture: Glaborous on the swollen            area of the petals at the apex.        -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity of sepals per flower: 6. Calyx            arrangement: Star-shaped. Sepal shape: Lanceolate and fused            to the base. Length: Calyx is 1.5 cm with sepals extending            1.5 cm beyond calyx. Width: 1.2 cm at the base of the flower            tube, sepals measure 0.3 cm in width at the point of fusion            to the calyx. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Glabrous. Color (both inner and outer surfaces):            Yellow-green 144A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: Petaloid, varying in presence, 0 to 6            with 6 fused petaloid stamens most commonly present. Length:            2.5 cm. Width: 1.7 cm. Anthers: Aspect: Wavy, curving and            fused with the petaloids. Length: 0.8 cm. Width: 0.15 cm.            Color: Greyed-orange 164A. Pollen: Amount: Moderate. Color:            Yellow 6D.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: 1 per flower. Length: 2.7 cm. Style:            Length: 1.0 cm. Color: Green-white 157D. Stigma: Shape:            Obovate with 3 to 4 lobed irregular, stigma measure 1.0 cm            in length and 0.6 cm in width. Color: Yellow 6D. Ovary:            Type: Inferior within calyx cup. Length: 0.5 cm. Diameter:            0.5 cm.-   Cold tolerance: Hardy to USDA zone 7 with current evaluations of    cold hardiness in USDA zone 6.-   Disease and pest tolerance: Tolerance to root diseases has been    observed, but not under controlled conditions. Susceptible to insect    pests common to gardenia, such as scale and whitefly.-   Fruit and seed set: None observed.-   Drought tolerance: Tolerance to periodic drought stress has been    observed in container grown plants.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘4MARIAJ01’ differs from the commercial gardenia variety ‘BAB1183’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 22,797) in that ‘4MARIAJ01’ has a more compact growthhabit with plants measuring 93.0 cm by 72.0 cm after 4 years of growth,whereas plants of ‘BAB1183’ measure 122.0 cm by 152.0 cm after 2 yearsof growth. Additionally, when compared to ‘BAB1183’, ‘4MARIAJ01’ hastighter growth with an internode length of 3.03 cm, whereas ‘BAB1183’has an internode length of 5.2 cm. Furthermore ‘4MARIAJ01’ exhibits muchsmaller leaves measuring 4.43 cm by 2.58 cm, whereas leaves of ‘BAB1183’measure 10.2 cm by 4.4 cm.

‘4MARIAJ01’ differs from the commercial gardenia variety ‘Chuck Hayes’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,755), in that ‘4MARIAJ01’ has a growth rate of15.0 cm to 22.0 cm per year, whereas ‘Chuck Hayes’ has a growth rate of30.48 cm to 45.72 cm per year. Additionally, leaves of ‘4MARIAJ01’ areobovate, whereas leaves of ‘Chuck Hayes’ are lanceolate to broad, shortand obovate. Furthermore, when compared to ‘Chuck Hayes’, ‘4MARIAJ01’has an improved production consistency under a production setting inDearing, Ga.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of gardenia plant named‘4MARIAJ01’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.